I must say that this hand me down style stuff is really so much bigger than an old Gucci bag or Burberry coat that my mother gave me. The most important thing my family ever handed down to me is my faith in God. Now please do not misunderstand this. I am a believer because I am saved by God's grace. Jesus lived a perfect life, bore the wrath of God on the cross for my sins, and arose from the dead. Many years of my parents taking me to church, sending me to Christian camp, and living out their faith in front of me helped lead to that, but they did not simply hand me down my faith. I am not a Christian because they are Christians; I am a Christian because of grace through faith.
Isaiah 54:10 His unfailing love will not be shaken
Romans 10:9 and 10 says,
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
It does not say that if you attend church every Sunday or teach Sunday school or serve in the nursery, you will be saved. But,
Romans 10:17 says,
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
I am so thankful for my parents reading to me from the Bible, praying with our family, taking me to church, and living out their own relationships with Jesus. I heard the message, and I saw my parents study the Word. Now I study the Word.
Rifle Paper Co. notebook purchased from Design Darling
I take sermon notes and write down prayers, Bible study notes, and favorite verses in little notebooks. When I filled mine up and had no more blank ones, I ordered this pretty botanical journal from Mackenzie Horan's boutique Design Darling.
currently making my way through a study on Nehemiah by Kelly Minter
Do you study the Bible? Do you have a favorite verse, book of the Bible, or Bible study tool?
I love this post...and you, AND your parents :-)
ReplyDeleteOne of my many favorite passages:
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Thanks, Wendy! We love you too!
DeleteI love this post too - and it's been fun reading your blog :) keep it up, girl!
ReplyDelete